In the lead up to the 54th anniversary
of West Papuan National flag day (the Morning Star flag was flown officially
for the first time on the 1st of December in 1961), the security forces intimidated civilians and
civil society groups in West Papua hoping to create fear in any groups that
might be preparing to celebrate the 1st December.17 people were arrested in Nabire on the 28 November while
preparing an area for a rally on Dec 1st. On the 30th
November the military intimidated residents who live in the district Aifat Aimas. The presence of
military in the Aimas district caused fear in the local people with some
residents leaving.

Despite the rally being legitimate and peaceful the police
claimed it was illegal and that they had acted to maintain public order. Hundreds
of AMP (Papua Students Alliance) members and approximately 400 police were
involved in the clashes after the police tried to disperse the crowd using tear
gas.The Jakarta Post
reported that before the clash the AMP
had planned to stage a two-part rally, to deliver four demands to the
government.According to AMP
spokesman Abby Douw, the rally members called for the government to hold a
referendum on independence for Papua. They also demanded the government shut
down all multinational corporations that cause environmental damage to Papuan
land. In addition, they wanted the government to recall all
military forces from Papua, as well as disbanding all “politicized” government
institutions such as the Special Unit for the Acceleration of Development in
Papua and West Papua (UP4B).However, the first stage of the rally erupted in violence after
the police forced the students to disperse, according to Muhamad Isnur, a
lawyer from the JakartaLegal Aid Institute (LBH Jakarta) who gave legal counsel
to the AMP during the rally.

The clash also prompted a strong protest from the Alliance of
Independent Journalists (AJI) after the organization received a report that the
police had assaulted and intimidated two foreign journalists from Australia’s
ABC and Al-Jazeera. According toa press release from the
AJI, the police beat the ABC’s Archicco Guiliano and grabbed a mobile phone
belonging to Al-Jazeera’s Stephanie Vaessen because they were recording the
authorities dispersing the rally. The AJI said the police had ordered the
journalists to delete the recordings.

The Legal Aid Institute for the Press (LBH Pers) also has
expressed concern over frequent incidences of violence against journalists,
including the incident on Tuesday during the AMP rally at the Hotel Indonesia
(HI) traffic circle on Jl. Thamrin in Central Jakarta.

"During the past two months, there have been at least three
cases of camera seizure and the erasing of photos by policemen," said Ade
Wahyudin of LBH Pers' research and networking division during a media
conference in Jakarta on Wednesday 2 December. Wahyudin also said that Article
18, paragraph 1 of Law No. 40/ 1999 on the press stipulated that anyone who
intentionally prevented journalists from doing their job could face a two-year
prison term or be fined Rp 500 million (US$36,224). Wahyudin said his
institution therefore demanded that National Police chief. Gen. Badrodin Haiti
instruct the Jakarta Police chief and the Papua Police chief to investigate
police officers who prevented journalists from doing their job. He also called
on the National Police Commission (Kompolnas) and the National Commission on
Human Rights (Komnas HAM) to conduct an independent investigation and announce
its results to the public.

We are all aware how much the West Papuan people have suffered
under Indonesian rule. However in the past year the West Papuan people
have also had many victories in their struggle for self-determination. From the formation of the United
Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) in Vanuatu in December 2014 to
ULMWP’s achievement of gaining observer status at the Melanesian
Spearhead Group (MSG).
Another victory is West Papua is back on the agenda at the Pacific Islands
Forum (PIF) and hopefully Jakarta will accept a request from the PIF leaders
for a fact-finding mission to West Papua. West Papua has been raised at the UN by
various Pacific leaders and awareness throughout the Pacific has increased
dramatically through the lobbying of governments in the region by West Papuan
representatives, civil society organisations and church groups. In fact,
civil society
organizations’ in the Pacific have committed to enthusiastically take up the
fight for the people of West Papua. The issue is also being raised around the
world by solidarity groups and individuals too numerous to mention. Photos of
the raising of the Morning Star on the 1st December from around the
world indicate the support the West Papuan people have in their struggle.

The Australian Greens also moved a Senate motion marking the 54th
Anniversary of the raising of the Morning Star flag (although denied).

Australia hosted the third
Australia-Indonesia Foreign and Defence Ministers Dialogue in Sydney

Australia
hosted the third Australia-Indonesia Foreign and Defence Ministers 2+2 Dialogue
in Sydney on Monday, Dec. 21. Indonesian
Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu used the meeting in Australia as an
opportunity to warn other countries to not become involved in the long-running
Papua independence campaign and to respect the sovereignty of Indonesia
(Jakarta Globe 21/12). Ryamizard was quizzed on the issue on Monday in Sydney
after reports that international NGOs were forced to close Papua-based offices.
“There are countries that are getting involved in the issue of Papua,” he said
in an address to Australian media, without pointing to specific countries. “The
unitary Republic of Indonesia extends from Sabang [on the western tip of
Sumatra] to Papua. There is no other solution, that’s the way it is,” he said. Ryamizard
was joined in Sydney by Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi to meet with their
Australian counterparts, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Defense Minister
Marise Payne, to discuss security issues and potential investment. Papua was addressed during
the meeting and Bishop told media that Australia respects the sovereignty of
Indonesia unconditionally. “On the issue of Papua, yes, that was part of our
discussions. The Vanuatu Daily Post reported that later on Ryamizard clarified
his comments, insisting he had not meant to attack Australia and pointing out
that his counterpart Payne had emphasized Australia’s respect for Indonesia’s
sovereignty. His remarks, he said, had been an expression of regret directed at
Vanuatu, a Pacific nation that openly supports Papuan separatist movements.
“Vanuatu persists in encouraging Melanesian people to reunite. That’s not right,
and I disagree with it. This is a unitary nation,” the defense minister said.
Pastor Allen Nafuki, who is the Chairman of Vanuatu Free West Papua Association
(VFWPA) and Unification Committee said in the Daily Post (1 Jan) “Christian churches are the conscience
of the nation, and therefore have the duty to be the voice of the voiceless and
must continue to stand in solidarity with our Melanesian brothers and sisters
in West Papua who are still under oppression, and are still living in the current
environment which can only be described as one of institutionalized enslavement
and suppression of human rights. “Indonesian Government must stop state
killings and human rights abuses and brutality in West Papua,” said Pastor
Allen Nafuki.

Amnesty International and KontraS wrote
to the Coordinating
Minister for Politics, Law and Security Affairs concerning the Paniai incident which
occurred on the 8
December 2014 “In this letter to the Indonesian
Coordinating Minister for Politics, Law and Security Affairs, Amnesty
International and KontraS (the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of
Violence) write with regards to the use of force by the Indonesian security
forces that led to the death of four individuals and injuries to 17 others in
Paniai, Papua province, almost a year ago. The organisations urge the Minister
to take the lead to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice and
victims and their families provided with full reparation”.Amnesty
International and KontraS called on the Minister to undertake the following
steps as a matter of priority:

Take steps to ensure that Komnas HAM’s are
provided with the necessary funds to complete its investigations and ensure
that the findings of all investigations are made public;

-Ensure that, if sufficient admissible
evidence exists that members of the security are responsible for arbitrary or
abusive use of force, including persons with command responsibility, they are
prosecuted in civilian courts in proceedings which meet international fair trial
standards, without recourse to the death penalty;

-If violations are found to have been
committed, ensure that victims, including families of those killed in such
circumstances, are provided with full and effective reparation and steps must
be taken to provide victims and witnesses adequate protection;

-Conduct a thorough review of police or
other law enforcement officials’ tactics and the use of force and firearms
during arrest, with a view to ensuring that they meet international standards,
in particular the UN Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials and the UN
Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials.

A group of armed men attacked the Sinak Police station, in
Puncak Regency on Sunday 27 December, killing three personnel. The armed group
also took a number of firearms and ammunition from the police station. According to
reports the group that attacked the police station was led by Alegagak Murib
and Kalenak Murib and assisted by the Aleka Telenggen group based in Yambi,
Puncak Jaya regency. The Jakarta Post reported (30 Dec.) that the Papua Police
have set up a joint team comprising police and military personnel to pursue
perpetrators of the attack. “A joint team comprising 50 Mobile Brigade
[Brimob] and detective unit personnel has been dispatched to investigate and
pursue the shooting perpetrators. Directly supported by commanders of military
district commands, the Indonesian Military has also deployed personnel to
search for the attackers and prevent such incidents from reocurring,” Papua
Police spokesman Patrige Renwarin said.

TNI
Officer Killed by Armed Civilian Group in Papua

The
Jakarta Globe reported (1/12) that a TNI officer was shot on 30 November in
Namuni Kampong. The military claim the shooting was by an armed Papuan
civilian group known as Cosmas Makabori. Three officers were traveling by boat
and came under attack immediately after disembarking. The surviving
officers claimed they were surrounded by about 20 armed civilians who opened
fire.

Jayapura, Jubi –A lawyer for four
activists of West Papua National Committee (KNPB) in Manokwari region, said the
jail sentence of 1 year 6 months for them was too harsh because they simply
expressed different views.

“Alexander Nekenem, Othen Gombo, Nopinus
Humawak, Yoram Magay were convicted because of different views,” said
lawyer Yan Christian Warinussy in a written statement received by Jubi in
Jayapura on Monday (11/30/2015).

According to the Papuan human rights
lawyer from the Institute for Research, Study and Development of Legal Aid
(LP3BH) Manokwari, on Nov. 27, as the legal team received a copy of verdict
number: 107 / Pid.B / 2015 / PN.Mnk on behalf of Alexander Dekenem et al. The
letter stated that the defendants were sentenced to prison, each for one year
and six months, with their time in custody deducted. Prosecutor Irna Indira
Ruth sought two years imprisonment for them.

That ruling, the Warinussy is still
waiting for an official copy of the decision of the Registrar Court of
Manokwari, in order to learn the basic consideration of the judges who had
declared the four defendants were found guilty so that sentenced them. According
to the Secretary of the Regional Parliament, Rafael Natkime, the verdict will
never confine their ideology.

“Be in Jail is one of the highest
sacrifices for fighters,” he said.

He said four KNPB activists were
detained on May 20, 2015 during a peaceful demonstration in Manokwari with
three agendas, first, demanding the state to immediately open access to foreign
journalists in Papua, according to a statement the president of Joko Widodo,
second was to immediately open the democratic space for the people of West
Papua. And the last was to support the United Liberation Movement for West
Papua (ULMWP) as representatives of Papuans in Melanesian Spread head Group (MSG). (Mawel
Benny/ Tina)

Islands
in focus: Stray bullet hits civilian in Wamena

The Jakarta Post, Jayapura | Archipelago
| Sat, November 28 2015

JAYAPURA: A member of the military
police in Wamena, Jayawijaya regency, Papua, is under investigation for
allegedly shooting an 18-year-old student at an areca nut-eating party at the
house of a local resident early on Friday.

The member, identified only as Pvt. FAN
of the military police sub-detachment (Subdenpomdam) XVII – Wamena, allegedly
took out his pistol and aimed at wood located some 5 meters away from him.
Allegedly under influence of alcohol, he shot at the wood but the bullet passed
through the wood and hit student Paskalis Marey on the back part of his waist.

“The victim is being treated at the
Marthen Indey Hospital. He is conscious,” spokesperson for the Military
Regional Command XVII/Cenderawasih, Col. Teguh Rahardjo, told The Jakarta Post
on Friday.

Teguh, however, denied that FAN was
drunk and blamed the incident on the soldier’s negligence. He also said FAN was
currently detained at the local military police (Pomdam) headquarters in
Wamena.

Manokwari, Jubi – The
number of HIV / AIDS cases in Manokwari, West Papua Province, continues to
increase from year to year, said Program Manager Health Care Association of
Manokwari Denny Nepa.“Manokwari Department of Health recorded, from 2002 to 2015 the HIV-Aids
cases continues to increase, between eight to164 cases per year,” said Denny in
Manokwari on last week. This year, HIV / AIDS cases in Manokwari reached 1,183
cases, an increase of 113 cases from last year’s 1,070 cases.“Of the 1,183
cases, 628 cases of which have been positively identified as AIDS,” he said. He
further said this cases like an iceberg phenomenon with a number ratio of 1:
100, in which the cases have a tendency to pass the virus to 100 people. “If
the current number is1,183 cases, how many thousands of people who may have
been infected, and it is they who have not been identified,” he said. He also
mentioned that until now the profession housewife is still ranked first from
other professions with 325 cases where 179 of which are already suffering from
AIDS, and the rest is HIV. He added, this cases also are experienced by
children under one year to 14 years. As many as 15 children infected, six of
them living with HIV and the other nine are already infected with AIDS.“23 children, aged one to four years
old are living with HIV- Aids, 16 of whom are already infected with AIDS.
While, eight children aged 5 to 14 years old have infected with AIDS,” he said.
This case is also experienced by a group of Civil Servants, members of the
military and police, commercial sex workers (CSW), the private sector, labor,
and student. “There are 150 civil servants infected, seven military, eight
police,154 commercial sex workers, 75 private employees, 70 workers, 37
students, 40 college students and other 317 cases,” said Denny. “If all the
people in Manokwari willing to check up, surely we will find how high incidence
of HIV / AIDS in this region,” he said again. (*/ Tina)

3,000
Papuans to get PNG citizenship

Papua New Guinea's deputy chief
migration officer says processes are underway to grant citizenship to about
3,000 West Papuan refugees. Esther Gaegamin says there are about 3,000 West
Papuan refugees in camps in the Western Province, near the Indonesian border,
that have been registered with the government. She says most of them are
qualified for PNG citizenship and her office has commenced a registration and
naturalisation project with them. Ms Gaegamin told the newspaper, The National,
that some of the West Papuans have been in PNG for decades and it's appropriate
that they are given a home and legal rights. RNZI 14 Dec 2015

Jayapura, Jubi – Papua Governor Lukas Enembe said
the province is facing a big challenge to improve education, a main indicator
human development.

The
average length of school participation in Papua is at 6.87 and the literacy
rate is 75.92, he said. “Most of those indicators are under the national
average and MDG’s standard,” Enembe said in Jayapura on Monday (14/12/2015).
Thus, Enembe said, the challenge of Papua to realize the basic and qualified
education service in the future is so huge. “It needs a breakthrough, big
innovation and enormous creativity for the development acceleration in
education sector,” he said. Breakthroughs are being made to address the problem
of limited infrastructures, teachers’ high absenteeism, lack of teachers
especially in rural and remote areas, books and library facilities as well as
appropriate school laboratories. The additional challenge are local custom that
Papuans are still not yet consider the importance of education for their
children and other issues that contribute to disappearance of basic and
qualified education services.

He
explained the latest statistic data (Statistic Bureau, 2014) indicates the
Papua Province as the province with lowest rate of the human development index
in Indonesia, which is at 66.25 (Statistic Bureau, 2013). “It is still
outranged from the average national HDI, that is 73.29 (Statistic Bureau,
2012),” Enembe said.

According
to him there are four elements constructing the human development index, those
are the average length of school participation, life expectancy and purchasing
power. “When refer to it, the four elements of HDI are very closely with the
development in education and health sectors, both directly or indirectly,” said
Enembe. He added with public service improvement in education sector,
especially in terms of access, the literacy rate and average length of school
participation could be improved. (Alexander
Loen/rom)

Government
open to holding dialog with anyone: President Jokowi

Rabu,
30 Desember 2015 17:47 WIB

Wamena, Papua (ANTARA News) - The Indonesia government is open
to holding a dialog with anyone in the context of development, including in
Papua, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) stated here on Wednesday.

"From the onset, I
have no problem in holding a dialog with anyone in the context of
development," the head of state remarked after dedicating and inspecting
the district government offices in Jayawijaya. He said dialog had also been
initiated to settle the problems in Aceh. While referring to groups conducting
violence, the president said he had ordered security agencies to take firm
action. In the context of dividing the Papua province, the president said he
had received inputs from various parties on the matter. "I have to
discuss with various parties first, including with the governor here (about
it)," he noted. On the issue of limited supply of electricity and internet
services, the president remarked that similar complaints had also been received
from other regions. "This is our task. We must build a power plant, and it
takes three to four years to realize it," he affirmed. The head of state
remarked that by undertaking frequent visits to Papua, he would be able to gain
a better understanding of the problems being faced by the people in the region,
such as limited infrastructure that had caused the prices of commodities, such
as cement, rice, and fuel oils to increase. "With adequate infrastructure,
it is hoped that the prices of cement and fuel oils would drop by 50 percent
from the current rates," he emphasized. He remarked that the extension of
the runway at the Wamena Airport would make it possible for bigger aircraft to
land and help to boost the regions economy. "The facilities at Merauke
Port also need to be upgraded along with increasing the number of cranes and
extending the pier. The work on these facilities will all be completed next
year," he affirmed. The president said if the infrastructure such as the
roads and ports are good, the economy in Papua would grow faster, while the
distribution of logistics as well as the flow of goods and passengers would
improve. (Reporting by Agus Salim/Uu.H-YH/INE/KR-BSR/A014)

Indonesian President
visits West Papua

The Indonesian president Joko Widodo spent the end of year on a 3-day
tour of West Papua. He promised major infrastructure plans for Papua during his
tour saying by 2018 all regencies will have proper roads.

Jayapura, Jubi – Human rights
activists said President Joko Widodo has not been able to resolve cases of
human rights violations in Papua a year after he took officer. Acts of violence by
security forces are still happening in Papua, said the Coordinator of
Solidarity for the Victims of Human Rights Violation in Papua (SKP HAM Papua),
Penehas Lokbere.SKP HAM Papua said it recorded 11 incidents of violence
that occurred after Jokowi assumed office, killing ten people and injuring 39.

Security forces arrested at least 268 people, Lokbere said
during peace rally to commemorate the International Human Rights Day in front
of the Papua’s Parliament office, Jayapura City on Thursday (10/12/2015).

In front of hundreds of crowd, Lokbere revealed the list of
violence that occurred in Papua since November 2014:

15. 08 December 2015, shooing incident occurred in Paniai, 5
dead (4 high school students and 1 civilian), 17 injured.

16. 19 November 2014, the arrest against 8 KNPB activists in
Nabire.

“The data shows that the Jokowi’s government is still carrying
the security approach in tackling the situation in Papua. It indicates the new
ruler is making the same mistake of former SBY’s administration for a decade.
The promise to build the peace dialogue between Jakarta and Papua and to
realize the Peace Papua is nonsense that merely used as the polish imagery
tool,” said Lokbere.

With many actors involving in security situation in Papua,
instead of protecting the civilians, the fact is they used their power and
improper discretion excessively.

In order to materialize peace dialogue that he promised during
the presidential election campaign, Jokowi’s Government must take a promptly
action in tackling the violence and human rights violation issues given those
could not only resolved through a promise but clear instruction towards the
State’s instrument to act.

Pastor of St. John and Peter Parish of Jayapura Diocese, Father
Paulus Tumayong read the joint statement before hundreds of crowd and
parliament’s members. “We are from Solidarity for the Victims of Human Rights
Violation in Papua (consisting of SKPKC Franciscan Papua, BUK-Papua, KontraS
Papua, FIM, FPP, AMPTPI, PMKRI, GMKI, Catholic Youth, SEMA STFT Fajar Timur,
BEM USTJ, BEM Uncen, Gempar, KPKC Kingmi Papua, KPKC GKI, and Marinus Yaung
(Academician of Cenderawasih University Papua), urge the President of the
Republic of Indonesia to fulfill his promise to Papuans as stated in the
National Christmas Celebration event on 27 December 2014 at Mandala Stadium,
Jayapura to solve the human rights violation case occurred in Paniai, 8
December 2014. The President of the Republic of Indonesia to immediately
instruct the National Human Rights Commission to endorse the Human Rights
Investigation Team to lead the legal process against the shooting perpetrators
in Paniai,” said Father Tumayong getting applause from the crowd.

He said the Indonesian Government must immediately open the
space of democracy for Papuans and open the access for international media
to come in Papua. “Papua Legislative Council to escort the Ad Hoc team that
already formed on 15 October 2015 to work in revealing the shooting
perpetrators in Paniai on 8 December 2014,” he said. He further said the
parliament also must immediately invite the Papua Police Chief and Cenderawasih
Regional Military Commander to conduct an official evaluation on the security
situation in Papua and to terminate the impunity of security forces who commit
the human rights violation in Papua. (Abeth You/rom)

Armed groups stole
32 firearms from police

Jumat, 1 Januari 2016

Jayapura, Papua (ANTARA News) - Armed groups in the easternmost
Indonesian province of Papua have stolen 32 firearms of different types from
the police in 2014 and 2015, a senior police officer stated. The firearms
included 10 AKs, 15 SS 1s, and five pistols, Chief of the Papua Provincial
Police Inspector General Paulus Waterpauw stated on Friday. Most of the weapons
were taken away from police officers stationed in the provinces hinterland, he
remarked. While the number of attacks on police posts has declined, the number
of firearms stolen by armed groups was on the rise, he pointed out. Late last
year, a group of unidentified people attacked the Sinak police precinct in the
province, killing three police officers and leaving two others
injured. The attackers also took away seven firearms of different
types and several rounds of ammunition.(*)

Papuan
children's deaths due to virus and bacteria

Researchers say respiratory bacteria and a mosquito-borne virus
caused the death of dozens of children in Indonesia's Papua region last month.

The Papua Health Office announced in November that 41 children
died in Nduga regency from an unidentified disease. The Jakarta Post reports
tests on samples taken from the victims showed that the respiratory bacteria,
pneumococcus, and Japanese encephalitis were spreading in the area. Health
authorities sent teams of doctors, nurses and researchers to investigate the
deaths of the children, who were mostly under the age of two. The researchers
say the Japanese encephalitis virus could be transferred from humans to animals
or vice versa. People have been urged to keep their neighbourhoods clean to
prevent mosquitos from breeding. RNZI 16 December

Opinion pieces/reports/books/press releases etc.

Punks for West Papua will be releasing
their film on West Papua in mid January. Many people ask how can they help West Papua. A
simple way is to download the video when released ($10). The funds raised are
being generously donated to the West Papuan umbrella organisation, The ULMWP by
the P4WP. In a series of nation wide gigs the Punks have already raised over
$6000 for the ULMWP. When available the film can be downloaded at